Too picky on collection day?

[AutomaticMan]

Having read all about the need to perform inspections on new Teslas when you collect, I went over my Model 3 with a fine tooth comb on collection day. I found two things that I reported to the chap, and he showed me to take pictures and book them in for repair on the app. One is a scratch on the bumper, the other is that the leather on the driver's seat is creased near the steering. Pictures are below.

I'm not wondering whether I was so determined to thoroughly inspect, that it made me a bit too picky? The seat fabric in particular probably isn't anything out of the unusual? For the scratch on the bumper, the service centre phoned me to say they'd replace the whole bumper, and thus are arranging me a courtesy car for the day. The more I think about that, a) it's going to be a pain going back and forth to Bristol twice, and b) what's to say they won't introduce bigger issues like panel gaps by replacing the whole bumper by hand? I'd rather Chinese robots do that than people in a workshop in Bristol to be honest!

So I'm now toying with cancelling the appointment and just living with these. But thought I'd put up a poll to get a second opinion from the rest of you as to whether you'd live with it or not?

 

[Undecided_2]

I doubt that they’ll take the bumper off for the scratch but they’ll probably replace the seat.

 

[bc1979]

It’s hard to say whether the bumper is worth it without knowing whether it’s a deep scratch or not.

The seat? I have to say that seems way overly critical, just looks like a normal seat.

 

[Adopado]

The seat? I have to say that seems way overly critical, just looks like a normal seat.

Normal wear makes the seats look more like natural leather ... with more wrinkles than you see here (which looks better IMHO). OP might manage 1 week of a pristine seat!

 

[Rich135]

I think you are being overly fussy on that seat - I had a few issues with mine but that seat would not have worried me.
I think that scratch would polish out - ask them to try that first and not replace it.

 

[init6]

Drag you nail across the scratch to see if it will polish out. Generally if you can't feel it then it should polish out.

 

[HenryT]

I had a deeper scratch than that fixed perfectly by a 'smart' repairer for about £80.

I can't see what's wrong with the seat.

 

[mswlogo]

I vote too picky.

Won’t that bumper buff out?

I think they will do far more harm ripping the bumper off and putting on a new one than leaving. Bet you if you paint correct and put PPF on front bumper you won’t even see it.

Complaint on the seat is ridiculous.

 

[Lockey]

Bristol fixed a much deeper scratch on my drivers side door pillar last year (also found during delivery inspection) so I'm surprised they want to replace the bumper. It was a pain to have to take a day off work to schlepp over to Bristol but at least I got a free supercharge (the car was already parked at a charger and was still in maintenance mode when I connected it).

 

[UrbanSplash]

That’s surely not a bumper replacement. What am I looking at that is wrong with the seat?

 

[Chanser]

Seat looks fine.

 

[MrT3]

Do you have any Scratch X or other alternative scratch remover? I'd give that a go first to see if your scratch can be removed/reduced to the point where you are happy - if not then keep the appointment to get it professionally fixed (I'm not sure they will change the bumper when they actually see it in person, they should be able to correct it without a need for new paint or replacement panel).

 

[AutomaticMan]

Thanks all! To be fair to myself on the seat, the premise of my post was that I feared I was being ridiculous, so clearly I had at least started to feel that way myself The story on the seat is that as I was looking at the car with the Tesla bloke stood next to me I spotted the creased bit next to the stitching and half asked/half thought-out-loud "is that a thing?" and pointed to it. He then said "hmm... let's have a look at a few others to see if they have any wrinkled fabric next to the stitching" and led me around another 3 or 4 Model 3s that were being picked up that day. They didn't have the same wrinkling there so the chap said I should record it on the app for the same appointment as the scratch on the bumper. So it was the Tesla chap who decided I should report it, not me. But by the time of starting this thread I had largely come to the conclusion myself that it was too picky, and the thread responses have confirmed that.

Sounds like most people would still take the scratch into them though (although opinions vary on whether they should replace the bumper or just polish it out - I must admit, I was surprised too when the Service Centre person called me to say they'd need the car all day because they'd have to replace the bumper!), so I think I'll still do that. I'll just delete the seat complaint from the appointment in the app I guess.

 

[plisken]

Wait until you've had the car a few days and the real quality issues start to show themselves and that may put both of your current issues into perspective imo.

As it happens, they removed my bumper to replace both front fog lights due to condensation (they don't normally replace them for this issue but that's a complete other story) and when I got it back, there were several issues with trim and clips not correctly in place. Now they were initially going to do this on my driveway and I thought it would be less of a risk if they done in it in the workshop, hate to think what it would have been like if they'd done it in the drive.

 

[JonB]

Seat looks normal to me (mine are white so this wouldn't really stand out, to be fair). On the other hand, it's your car / your perspective / your prerogative so if you're unhappy then get it changed by all means. Especially if it bugs you.

As to the scratch, it's hard to tell how deep it is from the picture, but you can be sure it's not the last scratch the car will collect in its lifetime, so why worry? You might try to polish it out yourself (yes, I know you'd be doing Tesla's job for them, but "a day off work plus to and from Bristol twice" is the alternative).

 

[AutomaticMan]

Seat looks normal to me (mine are white so this wouldn't really stand out, to be fair). On the other hand, it's your car / your perspective / your prerogative so if you're unhappy then get it changed by all means. Especially if it bugs you.

As to the scratch, it's hard to tell how deep it is from the picture, but you can be sure it's not the last scratch the car will collect in its lifetime, so why worry? You might try to polish it out yourself (yes, I know you'd be doing Tesla's job for them, but "a day off work plus to and from Bristol twice" is the alternative).

I must say, I am starting to think this myself. On collection day the principle of not getting a pre-scratched car seemed important to me. Now, 2000 miles in I expect I've already scratched/stone-chipped it worse somewhere else myself.

The picture makes the scratch look worse than it is I think, I personally think it would polish out too. It is also really low on the rear bumper, so you wouldn't notice it unless you're going over the car forensically (as I did on collection day!)

 

[Durzel]

That scratch should machine polish out. I've fixed scratches similar to that on a previous car with just Meguiars ScratchX and elbow grease.

The seat? I can't even tell what's supposed to be wrong with it.

EDIT: Reading up, it's the small deformations? Dude when you've sat in the seat a few times this stuff is going to appear anyway.

 

[theboywonder]

Thanks all! To be fair to myself on the seat, the premise of my post was that I feared I was being ridiculous, so clearly I had at least started to feel that way myself The story on the seat is that as I was looking at the car with the Tesla bloke stood next to me I spotted the creased bit next to the stitching and half asked/half thought-out-loud "is that a thing?" and pointed to it. He then said "hmm... let's have a look at a few others to see if they have any wrinkled fabric next to the stitching" and led me around another 3 or 4 Model 3s that were being picked up that day. They didn't have the same wrinkling there so the chap said I should record it on the app for the same appointment as the scratch on the bumper. So it was the Tesla chap who decided I should report it, not me. But by the time of starting this thread I had largely come to the conclusion myself that it was too picky, and the thread responses have confirmed that.

Sounds like most people would still take the scratch into them though (although opinions vary on whether they should replace the bumper or just polish it out - I must admit, I was surprised too when the Service Centre person called me to say they'd need the car all day because they'd have to replace the bumper!), so I think I'll still do that. I'll just delete the seat complaint from the appointment in the app I guess.

Push for a ranger to come to you and fit the bumper. They did mine. The ranger was from Bristol, came to my place of work, replaced the whole bumper. Easy. Getting to Bristol and back for the loan car is inconvenient.

 

[Durzel]

Push for a ranger to come to you and fit the bumper. They did mine. The ranger was from Bristol, came to my place of work, replaced the whole bumper. Easy. Getting to Bristol and back for the loan car is inconvenient.

Russell? He’s great.

 

[theboywonder]

Russell? He’s great.

Yep, Russell. So helpful. Always seems so busy - large patch to cover!